title: The ultrasound-guided retrolaminar block.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Paravertebral blocks have gained in popularity and offer the possible benefit of reduced adverse effects when compared with epidural analgesia. Nevertheless, pulmonary complications in the form of inadvertent pleural puncture are still a recognized risk. Also, the traditional paravertebral blocks are often technically difficult even with ultrasound guidance and constitute deep non-compressible area injections. We present our experience with the first three patients receiving ultrasound-guided retrolaminar blocks for managing the pain associated with multiple rib fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  The vertebral laminae are identified by ultrasound imaging in a paramedian sagittal plane by sequentially visualizing the pleura and ribs, transverse processes, and the corresponding laminae (from lateral to medial). The block needle is guided to contact the lamina, and the local anesthetic injectate is visualized under real-time imaging. A catheter is inserted and used for continuous analgesia. In three consecutive patients, verbal rating scale (VRS) pain scores were reduced from 10/10 to less than 5/10, and no technical difficulties, complications, or adverse effects were encountered.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Successful analgesia was achieved in all three cases utilizing continuous infusion and intermittent boluses with ultrasound-guided retrolaminar blocks. These results show the feasibility of this approach for patients with multiple rib fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 75 Francis St, Boston, MA, USA. cjvoscopoulos@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Voscopoulos
authors.forename: Dhamodaran
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Palaniappan
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zeballos
authors.forename: Hanjo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ko
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Janfaza
authors.forename: Kamen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vlassakov
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local